Singhal, director of the New Delhi Exims Pvt Ltd (NDEPL), is one of the 15 accused in the Naveen Jindal coal scam.
A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here, on Monday, allowed a chartered accountant with the Jindal Group, Suresh Singhal, to turn approver in a coal scam case involving industrialist Naveen Jindal.
Singhal, director of the New Delhi Exims Pvt Ltd (NDEPL), is one of the 15 accused in the Naveen Jindal coal scam.
Special CBI judge Bharat Parashar said, "Appeal to turn approver has been allowed. The accused has been granted full pardon subject to full and final disclosure." The CBI has been directed to submit the final disclosure report on August 10.
In a plea dated April 26, Singhal had appealed to the court for pardon and to turn approver for the government. In his deposition to judge Parashar, Singhal had stated that, "I am ready to disclose the true facts of the case regarding the transfer of Rs 2 crore from Jindal Realty Pvt Ltd (JRPL) to NDEPL further to Sowbhagya Media Ltd (SML) in the form of the purchase of shares."
In his six-page application to the court Singhal said, "I further pray to your honour to please allow me to be government approver and also request your honour to pardon me for the truth brought by me to the honourable court."
On April 21, Singhal, had submitted an application stating his role in the transfer of monies from Jindal to various companies favoured by former Minster of State Dasari Narayan Rao. In the application Singhal also alleged the role of accused number 12 - Rajeev Jain, director of JRPL, and Sushil Maroo "who was working with Naveen Jindal Group at a very senior position."
On April 29, the special court at Patiala House ordered framing of charges against industrialist Naveen Jindal, former chief minster Madhu Koda, former minister of state Dasari Narayan Rao and 12 others in the coal scam case. "Charges to be framed against all accused under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) read with 409 and 420 of IPC and under sections 13(1)(c), 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act," the court said.
Besides Jindal, Koda and Rao, 12 others including former Coal Secretary H C Gupta were charge-sheeted by the CBI in a case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd (GSIPL) in 2008.
The other accused in the case are: Rajeev Jain, director of Jindal Realty Pvt Ltd, Girish Kumar Suneja and Radha Krishna Saraf, directors of GSIPL, Suresh Singhal, director of New Delhi Exim Pvt Ltd, K Ramakrishna Prasad, managing director of Sowbhagya Media Ltd and chartered accountant Gyan Swaroop Garg. All accused are currently out on bail.
Five firms – JSPL, Jindal Realty Pvt Ltd, Gagan Infra energy Ltd (formerly known as GSIPL), Sowbhagya Media Ltd and New Delhi Exim Pvt Ltd – are also on trial.
In its 144-page order, judge Parashar observed that the money trail of the aforementioned Rs 2 crore and its cover-up is the crux of investigation. "A facade of companies prima facie appears to have been created as a smokescreen to cover up the actual transfer of money so as to avoid liability under any law/rules/regulations," the court said.
The coal scam refers to a draft report released in March, 2014, by the Comptroller Audit General (CAG) stated that the government exchequer lost Rs1.86 crore since it allotted the coal blocks to private entities and public sector units (PSU) instead of auctioning it during the years 2004-2009. However, in 2012, following a complaint lodged by the BJP, which was in opposition at the time, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) initiated an inquiry to probe allegations of corruption. Consequently, a first information report (FIR) was filed by the agency that accused almost a dozen firms overstating their net worth, failing to disclose prior coal allocations, and hoarding rather than developing coal allocations.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Jindal")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}